Hydraulic gooseneck



July 22, 1958 w. G. CLARK HYDRAULIC GoosENExcK 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 9, 1956 'WfZezv 6.. C'Zam INVENTOR ATTGRNEYS CLARK HYDRAULIC GOOSENEICK July 22, 195s 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9, 1956 Wazaa a. Zerfa- INVENTOR ATTORNEYS July 22, 1958 w. G. CLARK HYDRAULIC GoosENEcx 5 sheets-sheet r3 Filed Feb. 9, 195e O R 2 m E w ,E k u vmmvmv l/ AN PSPV/ -.\Wml l MJV. nlplv hav Z EP a W a C63 E, u -Nw MN .N\ N s QM. v tw a 7-1 2 E Tmw i w mmf F h w |I \nm 2E wv L H vl-v B..\| QM; I M IF '@.I \\Udu QM, QM SH. ulT wv QN ATTORNEYS United States Patent i HYDRAULIC Goosntsnton walter G; clark, charleston, W. va. Application nebmryadsse, seriatNo. 564,446

l s claims. (c1: 214-506).

This invention relatesf to: a trailery construction ofi the low,v body type. embodying ai detachablel gooseneck and: means for supporting-L the detachedf gooseneclrin .a position above the; groundge.

whichis vertically adjustable-so thatthelfr'ont end offtheI gooseneck may bef raised foi-'floweredr thereby: to raise' orf lower. the frontendof the: trailer body;

With the; foregoing; and?.otherfolsjectsainrview whichwill appear as the description proceeds', the: invention1-` consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations.y of par-ts, hereinafter; more` filllytv described and pointed outvin'theclaims, it,.b1eing';understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of" parts without departing, from the spirit`- of the inventionzas claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figurei l is, aside elevation of 'a trailer constructed according to an' embodiment of invention showing the 'rear' endV of' the gooseneck raised'by a hydraulic operator so as to level the body of the trailer prior to movement over the ground.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the trailer construction.

Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of the trailer showing the same in elevated position at thefront thereof.

Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation showing the gooseneck uncoupled from the trailer body and supported above the surface of the ground.

Fig. 5 is a detail front elevation of the hydraulic operator at the rear of the gooseneck.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a detail front elevation of the hydraulic operator disposed at the front portion of the gooseneck.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral designates generally an elongated flat body which has wheels 16 disposed at the rear thereof. The wheels 16 are disposed in pairs and stationed adjacent the opposite sides of the body 15. As shown in Fig. 2 the wheels are mounted on the rear ends of bolsters 17 which are of triangular coniiguration in side elevation and each bolster 17 is rockably mounted on a horizontal shaft 18 secured between longitudinal beams 19 and 20 disposed in the frame orl body 15. The front ends of the beams 20, which are in the inner pair of beams extend forwardly Patented July 22, 1.958

from the front end21 of the'body 15, and each-bea 20 t is formed at'A the`A front'v end thereof'with a hook 22. A gooseneck generally, indicated` at' 23' is adapted to beV adjustably coupled' toA thehooks 22 of body" 15; The gooseneck 23 isformedv of" oppositelyv disposed pairs of side plates-24-and"25; respectively, the plates2'5 beingl inner` plates and the; plates 24 being outer plates. The plates 24 and 25 are connected-together'by'means of upper and lower plates12'6V and 237: The" plates' 24' and 25 are of L-shape with avertical rear sidev and' a horizontal long side: The connected together plates arev fixed together by meansofia-connecting bar or plate 2S which forms'the cross head ofa` hydraulic means,- as will beA hereinafter described. The front end of they side members 24' and'25 are also` connected together, being secured to vertically disposed channelk members 29 which are disposed in-confronting-position and'form'- mounted at their upper ends, as indicated at 34, on a horizontal shaft 35; The horizontal' shaft 35 is secured between the' upperI portions7 of the guides 29.' The hydraulic operators 32 include plungers 36 extending from the lowerfendsof theecylindrsfSS-and the plungers 36 are rockably mounted/on' a`shaft37lwhich' is 'connected between the'- slide members'? N fth'wheelA coupling" pin 3`8fis mountedona-plate 395" formeclfwith"ears40 which areA loosely engaged about the shaftt 37. The coupling' pin 38l` is' adaptedl t'o detachably, engage a. fth wheel member' 41 which is rockably mountedasl at 4T on the rear portion of a tractor vehicle-43;.

The: rear verticali sidej generally indicated at 44,' of the gooseneclcZ-'A is provided' with'an yextendable trailer supportingfootv 45'which isoperated by meanseof" a hydraulic operator, generally indicated` at' 46: The operator 46 includes@ a' hydraulic cylinderl 47: p'ivotallyA mounted as at 48L on a horizontal shaft' 49v which is secured nbetween `a pair ofverticallydisposed I*confronting* channel-guide members 150; The ch`annel"guide"rnembers 50 are securedl to the inner'sides of thejpltes 524." The guidememl'ers S'have'slidablymounteditherein vertically disposed* slide bars S which areflxed at' their ilower-1 ends to the foot plate or member 45. The cylinder 47 is slidably mounted in a plunger 52 which is rockably disposed on a pin 53 engaging through a pair of ears 54 fixed on the upper side of the foot 45. The plates 24 and 25 have secured therebetween a hook engaging bar 55 and the side plates 24 and 25 also are provided adjacent the rear thereof with aligned openings 56. The openings 56 are disposed in vertically spaced relation and a removable trailer locking bar 57 is adapted to be extended entirely across the two hooks 22 above the upper edges thereof so that the gooseneck 23 will be locked against movement relative to the body 15. The gooseneck 23 may be secured in an angularly disposed position with respect to the horizontal, by means of a pair of chains 58 which are secured at their forward ends to lugs 59 carried by the tractor vehicle 43. The chains 58 are adapted to engage over a pair of hooks 60 which are carried by the front guide members 29 adjacent the outer ends. thereof. In this manner the guide 29 will be rocked forwardly to a position similar to that shown in Fig. 3 and the chains 58 are then extended over the hooks 60.

The hydraulic means 32 at the front of the gooseneck may then be released, whereupon the chains 58 will hold the gooseneck in its elevated and angularly disgooseneck 23 is detached from the` trailer body 15, as

shown in Fig. 4, the rear lower end of the gooseneck 23 may be raised upwardly above the ground by extending the foot 45 downwardly. At this time the chains 58 may be engaged `with the hooks -60 yin a position to lock the gooseneck in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position but with the bottom of the gooseneck spaced above the ground. The foot 45 may then be elevated whereupon the lower end of the gooseneck may be held by the chains 58 abovethe surface of the ground. This position of the gooseneck will permit the tractor vehicle 43 to be moved about the surface of the gre-und without dragging the gooseneck. When the gooseneck is to be coupled'to the trailer body 15 the tractor 43 is backed up to the hooks 22 and the gooseneck 23 at its rear is then lowered to a point just short of contact with the ground. In this position the hook engaging bar 55 will engage with the hooks 22. When the bar 55 is engaged with the hooks 22 the foot 45 is then extended downwardly thereby raising the front end of body to a predetermined position, such as a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1. When body 15 is leveled the foot 45 is raised to its upper limit so that it will not drag on the ground when the trailer and tractorare moved over the road. When the body 15 is leveled to the position shown in Fig. l, the locking bar 57 is extended through I the middle openings 56 in the side members of the gooseneck whereupon the gooseneck and trailer body 15 will be locked together against downward movement relative to each other.

` `In the event the trailer is being drawn over track or other elevated hump the front of the trailer 15 may be elevated after the manner shown in Fig. 3 and secured in the elevated position by the chains 58. When the body 15 passes over .the hump the elevated front end of the trailer may be lowered by disconnecting the chains 58 and dropping the gooseneck 23 at the front end thereof.

What is claimed is: 1. `In combination, a tractor vehicle and a trailer, said ytractor comprising an elongated flat body, wheels 'adjacent the rear of said body, a pair of hooks carried .by and extending from the forward end of said body, a 'gooseneclg means carried -by said gooseneck detachably coupling the latter to said hooks, said gooseneck having aligned vertically spaced openings in the rear thereof, a trailer locking bar engaging in selected openings, an hydraulic member carried lby the forward end of said ygooseneck, said hydraulic member including a cylinder, a plunger slidable in said cylinder, 'a ifth wheel coupling pin xed relative to `said plunger, and a exible member connected between said tractor and said gooseneck whereby to eect upward rocking of `the rear of said goosencck simultaneously with extension of said plunger.

2. In combination, a tractor vehicle and ya trailer, said tractor comprising an elongated at body, wheels adjacent the rear of said body, a pair of hooks vcarried by `and extending from the forward end of said body, a gooseneck, means carried by said gooseneck detachably coupling the latter to said hooks, an hydraulic -member carried by the forward end of said gooseneck, said hydraulic member including a cylinder, a plunger slidable in said cylinder, a fifth wheel coupling pin xed relative to said plunger, a flexible member connected between said tractor land said gooseneck whereby to effect upward rocking of the rear of said gooseneck simultaneously with extension of said plunger, a second hydraulic member carried by the rear of said gooseneck including an extensible gooseneck supporting foot adapted for downward projection to raise the rear end of said gooseneck in either coupled or uncoupled relation with respect to said trailer.

3. `In combination, `a tractor vehicle and a trailer, said trailer comprising an elongated fiat body, a gooseneck, means detachably coupling said gooseneck -with said trailer, a pair of confronting channel-shaped `guides carried by the forward portion of said lgooseneck, a pair of slide bars engaging said guides, a connecting plate fixed between the lower ends of said bars, la fifth wheel coupling pin carried by said plate, hydraulic means connected with said .plate for raising or lowering the forward end of said gooseneck, a pair of chains, means securing one end of each `chain to the tractor frame, and a pair of hooks carried by said guides adjacent the upper end thereof whereby said chains may be adjustably secured at the opposite ends thereof and eifect upward rocking `of the frear of the Igooseneck with downward movement of said slide bars and plate.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,389,211 Pointer Nov. 20, 1945 2,590,210 'Rogers Mar. 25, 1952 2,628,126 Black Feb. 10, 1953 2,667,363 Tal'bert Jan. 26, `1954 2,689,137 Iddings et al. Sept. 14, 1954 2,717,707 Martin Sept. 13, 1955 

